BOSTON (CBS) – New England Patriots defensive tackle Kyle Love joined 98.5 The Sports Hub’sToucher & Rich on Thursday, as New England prepares for their Sunday match up with Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.

The Patriots defense is eighth in the NFL against the run, allowing just 85.4 yards per game. Love says they are a very close-knit group, and he is learning from one of the best in Vince Wilfork.

“We’re gelling pretty (well). As you see we’ve been stopping the run pretty good; that’s our main focus, and then rush the passer,” said Love, now in his third year in New England. “We work pretty good together. Me and Vince, that’s like my big brother. I’ve learned a lot from him and am still learning. I’m learning from the best, so that’s what I love about the whole situation.”

Love has an assortment of nicknames — including “Love Shack,” “Buddy Love,” and “Love Bundle” (which is what Robert Kraft calls him) – but is best known as “The Love Boat.”

“I’ve been called Love Boat since college. My head coach at Mississippi State called me that and it’s stuck ever since,” he said. “They just said I was so big I was like a boat, so they just called me “Love Boat.”

Love also has a trademark hashtag on twitter: #KnockBall.

“In high school, I had a coach that used to say that all the time. Basically the meaning is you want to play hard-nosed football for 60 minutes,” explained Love. “You want to play hard-nose football at the highest ability, running around knocking people around, getting to the ball; just all over the place. If you’re not making the tackle you want to be in the vicinity of the play. That’s a thing I want to carry myself and with the defense, as far as playing hard-nosed football for 60 minutes.”